Many people contend with spine issues as a result of age, disease, and trauma, as well as congenital and acquired complications and conditions. While some of these issues can be alleviated without surgery, other issues necessitate surgery. Issues with the lumbar region of the spine such as decompression and stabilization can be addressed with lumbar implants. One type of lumbar implant is placed within the interbody or disc space once disc tissue has been removed. The lumbar implant is typically secured to one or both of the upper and lower vertebrae. Bone graft may or may not be used with the lumbar implant for vertebral fusion which stops all movement between vertebrae.
The purpose of a lumber implant is to maintain disc height between vertebrae to help prevent nerve compression, and restore and preserve the natural alignment of the lumbar spine, promote spinal fusion. In some cases the lumbar implant may be a holder or carrier for fusion material. In other cases the lumbar implant may stand alone to provide structural stability.
It is an object of the present invention to provide a stand-alone spine implant. It is further an object of the present invention to provide a stand-alone lumbar spine implant. Other object(s) of the present invention are contemplated.